


A Rose

by daalex



Category: Ancient Greek Religion & Lore, Lore Olympus (Webcomic)
Genre: Eventual Fluff, Eventual Happy Ending, Eventual Romance, F/M, First Kiss, First Love, First Meetings, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Holidays, Romance, Thanksgiving Dinner, Winter
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-16
Updated: 2019-10-16
Packaged: 2020-12-17 08:02:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,518
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21051026
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/daalex/pseuds/daalex
Summary: Part of the First Ever Lore Olympus Discord Fanfic Exchange.A mildly different take that looks at Persephone's and Hades' earliest encounters with one another, inspired by a beautiful song.





	A Rose

**Author's Note:**

  * For [TwinkleToestheBerserker](https://archiveofourown.org/users/TwinkleToestheBerserker/gifts), [Spooks_on_Parade](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Spooks_on_Parade/gifts).

> _There used to be a greying tower alone on the sea_  
You became the light on the dark side of me  
Love remained a drug that's the high and not the pill  
But did you know that when it snows  
My eyes become large and the light that you shine can be seen?
> 
> Baby, I compare you to a kiss from a rose on the grey  
Ooh, the more I get of you, the stranger it feels, yeah  
Now that your rose is in bloom  
A light hits the gloom on the grey
> 
> There is so much a man can tell you, so much he can say  
You remain my power, my pleasure, my pain  
Baby, to me, you're like a growing addiction that I can't deny  
Won't you tell me, is that healthy, baby?  
But did you know that when it snows  
My eyes become large and the light that you shine can be seen?
> 
> Baby, I compare you to a kiss from a rose on the grey  
Ooh, the more I get of you, the stranger it feels, yeah  
Now that your rose is in bloom  
A light hits the gloom on the grey
> 
> I've been kissed by a rose on the grey  
I've been kissed by a rose on the grey  
And if I should fall, will it all go away?  
I've been kissed by a rose on the grey...
> 
> (play the embedded video at the bottom while you read.)

_ There used to be a greying tower, alone on the sea._

The skyline within the underworld was always dark. The type of darkness varied; rotating through a constant cycle of dreary skies, melancholy days, or electric nights. Today’s dark skies seemed to be a bit brighter than usual, as Tower One stood tall in the middle of downtown; a slate grey building that was as massively large as it was impressive. One hundred floors of various deities, nymphs, laboring shades and a few deathless gods. Reigning over all of the subordinates, clerks, interns and workers was the CEO and chairman of Underworld Corp, the King of the Underworld, Hades. There was always something transpiring within the kingdom that never sleeps, as death was an unchanging constant in the mortal realm. At the conclusion of a mortal’s life, if there were malicious or questionable circumstances surrounding their deaths, the souls of the mortals, better known as the shades, would appeal their default sentencing and seek judgement with the King personally, to ensure that their afterlife was to their liking, be it justifiable or not. It was becoming more and more frequent, and though a constant necessity within the realm of the undead, sometimes it wore down the King’s patience. Often overworked, staying late every day to meet his quota, Hades was more exhausted as of late. At least that is, until this particular week. 

Hades examined the weekly shades report, looking over it with scrutiny. For the abundance of shades that were entering the underworld, there should have been a delay in ensuring that they would see him for judgement; numbers like this typically would slow down the workflow and efficiency for all of Underworld Corp. Though rendering a final verdict in a shade’s life was a mundane task, it felt as if it was less cumbersome than before. Even accounting for catastrophic shade amounts, such as granting Ares a permit for death and destruction in the mortal realm, there still wasn’t any degree of difficulty for this week’s proceedings. Where did this newfound level of efficiency come from? Numbers were off the charts, and no matter how many times that Hades examined the reports, it made sense, but he needed to grasp an understanding of it.

After incessantly punching numbers on his desk calculator for the tenth time in a row to confirm the figures he was seeing, he paged Thanatos from his intercom.

“What’s up boss man?” his voice rang from within the speaker.

“How, in the river styx, is our production **up**?!” Hades yelled.

“Is this…. Bad?”

“No, it’s tremendous, it’s… wonderful!”  
“So… what is the issue again?”

“It just doesn’t make sense. What’s changed? With the typical method of allocation for shades, we crank out maybe 200 judgements a week. I’ve seen at least 80 shades a day for the past 5 days straight and I normally am pulling my hair out by now, but I feel like I haven’t even broken a sweat. And judging from these reports, have we really had this many casualties over the past two weeks? We should be swamped with hearings and judgement appeals.”

“It’s that new intern we hired, boss man. She’s damn awesome.”

“We have a new intern?” 

_ You became the light on the dark side of me._

Briefly, Hades scanned his e-mails to see several communications that he had overlooked from Hecate, requesting his input for hiring an intern to help with the influx of shades that had arrived recently. It makes sense that he has been so overwhelmed, he unfortunately missed her messages. As he scrolled deeper into his mass of e-mails, he saw that the intern was hired a little over a week and a half ago. _Persephone, Goddess of Spring_. Highly praised by Olympus University, with top rankings in all her classes. Valedictorian, cheerleader, expert historian and good work ethic. New to the workforce but seeking an entry level position to gain experience. Recommended by Hera herself.

“Do you know where she is now?” Hades asked quietly, reading through the myriad of Persephone’s achievements listed on her resume. 

“She should be somewhere near floor eighty-eight, probably around vital records,” Thanatos replied.

“Thank you, that will be all for now.” Hades turned the speaker off and stood to his feet. 

He closed his laptop and exited his office, heading to the elevator to meet this new intern in person.

The department of vital records was a dark, dusty, aged section of Tower One that never saw much activity, outside of the occasional clerk retrieving and returning files. In the middle of the room, one would find approximately ten dark cloaked figures, each with a fountain pen and yards of parchment paper in front of them. These were the Scribes. At their respective tables, they would denote the details of every mortal’s life, until it was concluded. Once their life was over, the scroll and documents would be set aside until it could be filed properly. The Scribes tried to do the best of their ability, but with the necessity of documenting existing lives, it was overwhelming to also file away those that are no longer living. Vital Records was an area of the building that was not well manned, and the filing system was horrendous. Bookshelves stood like skyscrapers, from the lowest points of the floor to the very top of the ceiling, packed to the edges with various scrolls, files, and books of old lore and text. It was difficult to navigate through all of the files, unless you were one hundred percent certain as to what you were seeking. Since the department had such little activity, Hades expected dust and the smell of mildew and old paper to waft through the air as he entered the facility. Much to his surprise, it was not like that at all. The typically dank ambiance in the room was brightly lit. The Scribes were still keeping to their tasks of documentation, but just as one would finish a scroll, a pink flash of light would dash to their side, and dash away. 

Walking slowly between the various shelves, Hades scouted the ceilings and noticed that there were beautiful white roses at the crest of every bookshelf. It appeared that the roses were glowing, adding light and warmth to the space. Hades had never taken note of the fact that the walls in the department were grey in color, and the roses made it an almost inviting space. Inhaling through his nostrils, he took note of the pleasant scent, smiling to himself a bit at the refreshing change in the room.

“Excuse me, Your Majesty, may I access this shelf please?” 

Hades turned around to see that a clerk was waiting to place a file in its place that he stood in front of.

“Oh, by all means, yes,” he said. “Would you be Persephone?”

The clerk chuckled.

“Oh no, _that’s_ Persephone…” She pointed to another shelf. 

It was then that Hades heart skipped a beat. His jaw dropped as he saw a being radiating a pink luminescence as she hovered in the air. Hades rubbed his eyes before putting his glasses on, to get a better look. She wasn’t glowing per-se, but to him, she shone brightly. His eyes widened at the sight. Floating atop a bookshelf was a radiant, magenta, gorgeous Goddess that literally took his breath away. Her hair consisted of pink and red waves, cut in a short pixie style that were pulled back with a white lily that rested above her ear and temple. She was wearing a white fitted dress that was flattering to her bountiful curves and ample hips, coming down to just below her knees. Hades noticed that she was not wearing shoes, and that her toes had a perfect French pedicure painted on each of them. Her eyes were a deep red rose color, and he found himself getting lost in them. So much so, that he didn’t realize Persephone began waving at him, with a smile that crossed her own freckled face. Unknowingly, he returned her smile.

“Excuse me again, Your Majesty,” the clerk said timidly.

“Oh!” Hades said, startled. 

The clerk giggled.

“Right. My mistake.” 

Hades stepped aside, allowing the clerk the space she needed to replace the files upon the shelf. Raking his hands through his hair, he held his breath briefly as he turned to face Persephone again. Peeking in her direction, he saw that she was gone.

Exhaling in relief that the pink Goddess had departed, he turned to leave. Only to be interrupted by the radiant flower that she was, as she stood in front of him.

_There is so much a man can tell you, so much he can say… _

“Hi!” she said brightly, extending her hand.

“Salu…. Sal.. Salu—so--Solutions,” Hades stuttered.

“What?”

“Salutations,” he responded, grateful for the quick recovery. Stumbling over his words was something he never did.

“Thank you for hiring me! I’m very happy to be here.”

It was even more difficult in person, viewing how practically perfect she was up close. A few small beads of sweat were at her hairline, likely from her vigorous running and flying between the shelves. Her dress had a scalloped neckline that dipped to show the peaks of her breasts, yet just barely, as her chest puffed up and down with the swell of her breath, at a rapid pace from the inadvertent exercise she gave herself. In her presence, she smelled like honey, jasmine, and roses. Her freckles were scattered across her skin, and her lashes were thick and fluttered when her eyes twinkled… Her eyes are twinkling, as she smiled. 

“You’re beautiful,” he whispered, forgetting to shake her hand.

“I’m what?” Persephone cocked her head to the side, with a mildly confused expression on her face.

Hades cleared his throat. 

“You’re… welcome. I take it that you are responsible for the increase in production of shade allocation?”

“Well, I tried my best. I hope it’s not bad that I changed a few things?”

Feeling another lump in his throat, Hades covered his mouth with a fist as he attempted to clear it once again. His heart skipped another beat as Persephone gazed up at him, almost lovingly. 

“Keep… keep… Keep up the ***ahem*** um, keep up the good work,” he said sharply, turning abruptly. He had to leave right then, or else he wouldn’t be able to.

Persephone watched him as he walked away, biting her bottom lip as she stared him up and down. He was very well dressed, and his broad frame and the cuts of his muscles peeked through his tailored suit.

“Goodbye!” she said tenderly. 

_You remain: my power, my pleasure, my pain…_

The Scribes glimpsed between the two of them, as Hades gave an awkward wave before closing the door to the department. Persephone smiled as she resumed her organization of the files. Albeit brief, the Scribes acknowledged kind glances and smiles with one another upon seeing the King interact with the lovely Goddess.

* * *

Several days had passed, and production for shade allocation at Tower One was at an all-time high. The new system of filing that Persephone created allowed additional free time for the King, who found himself wandering down to the company break room to get a few snacks. Part of him felt foolish for being completely clueless that his organization had a new staff member, and another part of him yearned to see the pink Goddess once again. She was absolutely breathtaking. He wished that he wasn’t so awkward when they first met, but he was genuinely at a loss for words while in her presence. Alas, there is no way that someone as gorgeous as this young intern would ever be interested in a relic of an old man such as himself. Lost within his thoughts, he pilfered the cabinets to procure silverware to aid in his consumption of a few pomegranates. He didn’t notice that Persephone had entered the break room to have lunch. She stopped when she saw the King, but he did not look in her direction. Sighing, she sat down at the table nearby, and began to unpack her own meal. 

Persephone peeked at Hades in between bites of her salad. She had known who he was before signing on as an intern, and she was familiar with how he generally appeared based upon pictures she had seen online. But she was not prepared for how dashingly resplendent he was up close. Tall, with broad shoulders, and hair that was white as snow. He maintained a very professional appearance, wearing tailored, black three-piece suits that complimented his handsome frame. He wore black rimmed glasses as well that slid down the bridge of his nose a bit, allowing her to peer in his eyes. Though they were deep in concentration, she could see that they were small pools of navy blue. Hades furrowed his eyebrows as he focused on carefully slicing his delectable fruit. Persephone swallowed a big gulp that had dried her throat as she did her best to avert her gaze from the King’s attractive physique. 

Not realizing it, Persephone had consumed her entire salad while staring at him. She whimpered a bit at realizing her lunch was so light. Meekly, she began to put her empty container and other accessories back in her lunch bag. It was then that Hades saw her, followed by yet another skip of his heart. 

Against his better judgement, he took a seat across from her at the table. Persephone locked eyes with him as he got settled. To her surprise, Hades extended one of his pomegranates to her.

“If all you brought was that tiny salad,” he said kindly, “I don’t know how you’ll make it here.”

“Well, I normally bring something else,” she started, “but traveling from Olympus to the Underworld every day takes a bit of time. I forgot the rest of my lunch.”

“Then please, take this.”

“Thank you so much, Hades.”

“My pleasure; don’t mention it.”

Handing her a spoon, the two began to scoop the seeds out of their respective pieces of the fruit.

“Is the weather always so cold here in the underworld?” Persephone asked.

“Eh,” Hades shrugged. “I’m used to it, but I also wear several layers myself. I know that snow is due in the forecast for the weekend.”

“**Really**?” Persephone’s eyes began to twinkle as she smiled excitedly. 

“Yes…. But…. There’s _nothing_ exciting about snow.”  
“I’ve only seen it once before, on my way home to Olympus. Up there it’s always perfect weather, and in the mortal realm it might rain on occasion… but nothing nearly as pretty as what I saw.”

“There are much prettier things to see,” Hades said lightly. His eyes cast a brief shade of red as he fixed his gaze warmly at Persephone. She blushed deeply. 

He smiled as he gazed into her eyes. He felt as if he could look at her for eons. 

Another staff member entered the break room, and the noise from the door opening caught Hades attention, as he coughed to clear his throat, hoping that he was not too awkward for being doe eyed at the little Goddess.

“So, what do you like to do for fun?” he asked.

Persephone’s eyes turned down and she twisted her napkin nervously. 

“Well, I ….” She stammered. “Well, I like to read. I love philosophy, and ancient civilization. I also really enjoy history, and calculus!”

“Ever the bookworm,” Hades teased.

“Oh _hush_! What do **you** like to do for fun then, Hades?” Lacing her fingers together, she rested her chin on the back of them as she propped her head up with her arms.

Hades went blank for a moment. Fun? Has he had fun? It’s been quite some time since he truly enjoyed himself.

“You know,” he said quietly, as he continued to scoop his seeds. “It’s been so long since I’ve had fun, I… I wouldn’t know what it is anymore.” 

“There has to be something!”

“I…. well, I suppose… I like to read as well. I have quite the collection; you might be impressed. Civil war, affairs of the mortal realm, I also have quite a bit of ancient civilization and a few on dark magic.”

“Maybe… one day I could see them?” 

His heart skipped another beat, as he briefly imagined Persephone petite frame intertwined within his own in his study, with books strewn about on the floor.

“I…. think …. I would like that.”

_Baby, to me, you're like a growing addiction that I can't deny…_

Before either of them realized, they were smiling at one another. It almost was magnetic, the way that the two of them were attracted to one another. Polar opposites that seem to be moving only in the direction of the other; him to her, and she to he. Lost in the moment, Persephone cupped Hades hand with her own. His heart raced, and his skin burned from her touch. This was the first time she had ever grazed his skin, and he was struggling to maintain his composure. 

“Thank you again for allowing me to be here,” she whispered. She examined their hands fondly, and gave a small, affectionate squeeze.

Against his better judgement, Hades placed his other hand on top of Persephone’s, stroking the back of her palm pleasantly. He prayed that she wouldn’t feel how clammy his hands were and hoped to the Gods that she didn’t hear his heart banging within its cavity like an erratic drum. 

“Sweetness, I can’t thank you enough, for just being _you_…”

A blaring alarm rang, halting the tender exchange. It was 1:00 p.m.

Taking her hands back, Persephone became flustered as she began to gather her belongings. 

“I’m sorry, lunch… my lunch… my lunch is over,” she said sadly.

“Maybe… you should take more breaks,” Hades joked, his eyes still lingering upon her face.

“But if I do that, then the work won’t get done!”

“That is true…. But I know the CEO. I’m sure he wouldn’t mind.”

The pair laughed, as Persephone swung her lunch bag over her shoulder. 

“Goodbye, Hades,” she said in a low, sultry voice. 

He watched her saunter away, eyes transfixed on her damn near dangerous curves that swayed as she walked… Hypnotized by how her hair was a wild pool of waves that were pinned and tucked perfectly, how her fingertips held her satchel with her petite hands, how the little bit of pink flesh that protruded slightly from the hem of her skirt led him to imagine more…. and his heart almost sank as she disappeared from his sight. 

Hades made up his mind that he needed to see her again, and soon.

_Won't you tell me, is that healthy, baby?_

The weekend had arrived quicker than anyone would have realized. Hades breezed through his usual weekly reports and mortal judgement proceedings with an uncanny enthusiasm; something very much unlike his typically melancholy demeanor. He even found himself foregoing his usual three-piece suit and dressing a little more casually, or what would be considered casual for him, without his blazer and tie. Persephone was all that he could think of as of late and wanting to see her once again. Yet, he did not want to impose upon the lovely Goddess with his newfound fascination with her. Needing to be close to her; to breathe in her fragrance, counting the freckles on her face like the stars in the night’s sky; his pulse quickened every time he thought of her. The company Thesmophoria was in a few hours, and though Hades organized the social event every year for the staff and their loved ones, he always made it a point to leave early. Large social gatherings weren’t very enjoyable when you are forever alone. This time… it was different. He wondered if Persephone would accompany him, or bare minimum, attend the event. There wouldn’t be any harm if he happened to be in the same place at the same time. The past few days he had missed her; longing to see her again. Hades very well could have visited vital records any time that he wished; that would have been too obvious. But at 4:30 p.m. on the last day of the work week, he had bided enough time, and was determined to gaze upon her once more before he departed.

Riding the elevator down to the eighty-eighth floor, he marched to the department of vital records. Placing his hand on the doorknob, he paused a moment to gather his thoughts, and a bit of courage, before opening the door. Inhaling deeply, he placed his hand on the knob, twisted it, and pulled the door open.

To his complete surprise, the door flew open with ease, as one small pink Goddess burst through the entrance, stumbling. Arms full of files and scrolls, she tripped over the runner at the base of the door, falling forward. 

“Sugar snaps!” she squealed as she lost her footing.

Ever nimble, Hades caught Persephone in his arms. The scrolls fell to the ground, as Hades held Persephone above the ground, with both arms securely around her shoulder and waist. Time stopped. She forgot to breathe. He kept her within his gentle grasp as he slowly lifted her upright to stand on her own feet. Clutching his taut, muscular arms as he held her, it felt as if she were melting from his touch. She brushed her fingertips slowly across his exposed blue flesh, feeling the texture of his scars on his forearm that flexed as he continued to help her stand up. Her head tilted slightly towards his, and Hades gulped as he felt himself drawn closer to her lips. Tucking a stray lock of her hair away from her eyes, he practically drank in the beauty that she was. A vanilla, off-shoulder sweater that showed the perfect hint of her rosy skin, leading down to an ample bosom that almost quivered with anticipation. Tight jeans that highlighted every dangerous curve she had. Persephone was fine as wine, and Hades needed to quench his thirst.

_Love remained a drug that's the high and not the pill…_

“You two done here?” Thanatos called from behind them.

The ivory deity crossed his arms and tapped his foot, as Hades and Persephone were indeed, very much blocking the entrance.

  
“A…aap—apologies,” Hades said delicately. His eyes still held that low glow of crimson from behind his obsidian frames, as he stepped out of the door frame to allow Thanatos room to pass through.

“You can make it up to me at the Thesmophoria later,” Thanatos said haughtily.

“A Thesmophoria?” Persephone said inquisitively.

“Our annual holiday party,” Thanatos yelled from over his shoulder. “Big Boss never stays for long though, even though it’s his party! I expect whiskey!”

Hades finally let go of Persephone. She immediately dropped to the ground to retrieve the scattered scrolls. Hades knelt down to assist her.

“I’m surprised that you’re still here,” Hades stated. 

“Well, it’s like you say,” Persephone countered, with a tepid voice. “Death is a constant, and those shades won’t get their judgement if we don’t tend to them in a timely manner.”  
“All work and no play makes one Persephone a dull flower.”

As they continued to pick up the scrolls, their hands reached towards the last piece simultaneously, fingers lingering upon one another once again. Small fireworks exploded in his chest

Their eyes locked, and Persephone averted his gaze once again, blushing very deeply. 

“I’ll be done soon, I promise.”  
“I should hope so,” Hades scoffed. “You’ll really wear yourself thin if you don’t pace yourself. You’ve worked so hard since you’ve arrived, and I’m… I’m very appreciative of it. But I can’t have an exhausted Goddess in my realm, not at my expense.” 

Persephone met his eyes once more, which had changed to a beautiful maroon. His face was enamored, and simultaneously concerned, while dashingly handsome. It was making her flustered.

“You…. You care about me?” Persephone asked.

“_More_ than you know,” Hades whispered.

Compassionately stroking his thumb on the back of her palm, he tucked the last scroll solely in her hand.

“Thanatos is right, I never do stay for very long at these things but… I … I wouldn’t mind it at all if you happened to be there too.” 

She stood to her feet, and took a step towards the King, who was still on bended knee. He stared up at her luscious frame as she studied him intently.

“That is,” he whispered, still needing to drink in the delight that she was. “That is… if you’d be interested in coming.”

“Where would the party be at?” she asked in a subdued, almost alluring voice. 

Her change of tone caught Hades off guard. Her eyes were low, and she bit her bottom lip as she pored over the God of the Dead with desire.

“Them… Them… Th--- oh for the fires in Tartarus. The Main Street community center.”

She giggled at his stammering.

“Then I’ll… see you there.”

* * *

The Thesmophoria was in full swing when Hades arrived. Unlike most formal events that the respective realms would hold, this was a casual potluck for the employees of Underworld Corp and their respective loved ones to enjoy. The small kitchenette was packed to the brim with various dishes, party trays, bottles of liquor and delicious snacks. There were several staff members from the twenty-fifth floor, and several from the beach and the mortal realm chit chatting in various parts of the meeting space. Some of the clerks from vital records were busting moves on the dance floor. A few deities from Olympus had arrived as well; Aphrodite was singing karaoke, ever the center of attention, while Hermes was scarfing down snacks. He did not have a shirt on for some unknown reason, but if you asked him, he never knew where it went. Thanatos was sipping on his whiskey, and Eros was playing against Poseidon in a board game. A satyr was playing upbeat music aside from Aphrodite’s terrible singing, and river nymphs were making small talk in the lounge area. It looked like everyone was truly enjoying their selves. Hades always maintained a very professional appearance, but for once, he omitted his usual slacks for a black sweat suit; a soft cotton shirt that was loose enough to not restrict movement, but snug enough to highlight his toned physique. Jogger pants that illustrated his thick thighs as the hems stopped just above his ankles, that disappeared into black sneakers. As he quietly entered the meeting space, it seemed that the music stopped, and every head turned in his direction.

Silence filled the space. Save for Hermes and his snack consumption. Hades scanned the room as all eyes were on him.

“What are you waiting for?” he yelled. “Isn’t this supposed to be a party?!”

Laughter and cheers erupted, and the celebration resumed as if nothing were wrong.

Poseidon jumped up from his board game and ran over to greet his brother, giving him a slap on the shoulder and a special handshake. Eros sipped on his martini and gave a small wave from his seat at the table. Hades heart swelled with pride as he observed the room, truly grateful for the gathering that had taken place. Only one thing would make it better.

“Look at you!” Poseidon jested. “I thought you only owned suits!”

“But this is a suit,” Hades said plainly. 

Poseidon’s face went blank. “It’s a suit?”

“A sweat _suit._”

Poseidon guffawed and Hades threw his head back in laughter.

“Man, you’re so corny. Are you going to stick around for more than twenty minutes this time?”

As Hades wiped a tear from his eye at his own amusing remark, he perused the entrance to see a familiar pink glow against the charcoal slate doorframe. Rubbing his eyes again, they focused on Persephone as she entered the room. Her hair was braided in a crown across the top of her head as a pink rose was nestled above her ear. Wearing a black sweater dress that stopped at her knees but clung to her hips and thighs, and fuzzy boots that concealed her petite feet, she was a vision of beauty that caught the stares of every man in the room… especially Hades. His eyes became almost red as fire as he doted upon her from afar.

“Persephone!” Hermes squeaked excitedly, still with a mouth full of food. He jumped over the median of the kitchenette and made a beeline for the door. 

“Hi Hermes! Hi everyone!” she said sweetly.

“IS **THAT** WHAT I THINK THIS IS?!” Hermes gasped.

“Wait, _did she bring what I think she brought_?” Eros uttered, stepping away from the board game. 

Thanatos chugged his whiskey and sauntered towards Persephone. “IS THAT **BAKLAVA**?!”

Held within her tiny hands was a cake pan covered in foil that had the three gods clamoring.

“It… _might_ be baklava,” she joked.

“I **CANNOT** wait to have some,” Eros groaned, clapping his hands excitedly.

“Your baklava is the best in all of the realms!” Hermes said.

Thanatos took the pan from her hands. “I suppose I’ll help myself,” he said cheekily.

“No one gets a **DAMN** thing until I get a piece,” Hades voice boomed. 

The room fell silent again. Hades snatched the cake pan from Thanatos and walked to the kitchenette. There was almost tension in the air as he pilfered the drawers searching for a sharp knife to cut the pastry with. Unsuccessful in his search, Hades then took a step back and held his hands in the air, as a cutting knife made of rubies and diamonds appeared before him, with a glow of bright light and magic. Clasping it, he peeled the foil from the corner of the cake pan and cut himself a small triangle piece. 

Eros, Thanatos and Hermes ogled in anticipation. Hades took a bite and began to chew silently, as he closed his eyes for a moment. Persephone looked nervous as the King had never eaten any of her cooking before. 

“It’s awful, isn’t it?” she whispered.

“Absolutely not,” Hades said matter-of-factly. “This is perfectly delicious. You all may enjoy some now.”

Persephone exhaled a sigh of relief, and the hungry trio all dashed to the kitchen to get their portion of the delectable treat. She began to mingle with the other staff members and deities as Hades helped himself to a glass of scotch, sipping it slowly as he watched Persephone move throughout the room as if she were truly a butterfly. Flitting to one table, dashing to another chair, floating over to greet old friends and new ones; she genuinely was a sight to see. 

Aphrodite gave up on her karaoke and went to fawn over her son and his board game, whilst the satyr played swing music. 

Hermes floated up in the air. “This is my jam!” he said excitedly. “Persephone! Dance with me!” 

Persephone’s head turned and Hermes scooped her up in his arms gleefully, as the two began to move about on the dance floor, twisting and turning with spins and kicks and swings that were slightly exaggerated with their ability to fly. A pang of jealousy twisted in Hades throat, but he remained at his post against his wall near the kitchenette, with his eyes still on Persephone. Though it was unnerving to see her spun about with the crimson God of trade, a small part of him loved to see the delight on Persephone’s face. Before he knew it, the scotch that he was nursing had disappeared. 

He couldn’t bear to see her smiling at another man for another moment. He needed to be the one to make her smile. The up-tempo swing music came to a conclusion, and the liquid courage had dispersed through Hades system enough to have him approach the pair. 

Hermes went to pull Persephone close to him for the now playing slow melody, but Hades pulled the red hands from her shoulders.

“Do you mind if I cut in?” he commanded, fighting the lump in his throat.

“I… don’t mind at all,” Persephone cooed.

Extending one hand, Persephone laced her fingers with Hades as he rested a hand upon her waist, and she reached to place her other upon his shoulder. Eros, sensing the budding feelings between the pair, flew over to Hermes to pull him away from the King of the Dead and the object of his affection. 

Other pairs then filled the dance floor, as Hades and Persephone swayed back and forth to the peaceful pace of the romantic tune. 

“I’m glad to see you,” he uttered. “Thank you for being here.”

Persephone beamed as she found herself transfixed in his eyes. 

“Not bad for a work event,” she expressed tranquilly.

“Let’s not talk about work… Let’s not **think** about work.”

“Well, you did say one thing that was important.”  
“Which was?”  
“All work and no play makes one Persephone a dull flower.”  
“Even if you tried, dull is something you _never_ could be, sweetness…”

Persephone’s eyes twinkled at the affectionate words of the King. His eyes had that scarlet haze to them as he peered down at her lovingly.

Moving a stray lock of hair behind the rose nestled in her hair, Hades smiled.

“You are a rose, that is **_constantly_** in bloom.”

Her cheeks were flush with redness at his doting affirmation. 

Finding her composure, she cleared her throat. 

“Dare I say, have you been here for more than twenty minutes?” she joked.

“It looks as if I have,” Hades laughed. He relished in the smile that crossed her lips.

“If I can be genuinely honest with you, Persephone?”  
“Please do,” she whispered.

“It may be silly of me to say… but this moment right here is the best that I have felt in hundreds of years.”

She pulled him closer to her rested her head on his chest while they continued to sway to the music. Hades closed his eyes and breathed in the scents of the pink roses and blue larkspurs that bloomed from atop her head. Unbeknownst to the pair, Persephone was floating several inches off of the ground while he held her during the dance, finding herself lost in his embrace. 

_The more I get of you, the stranger it feels…_

The song concluded, and a loud hip-hop track coursed through the room. Hades opened his eyes to see Persephone floating at eye level, dangerously close to his lips. Her eyes were low as she found herself drawing closer to him. He gasped, and his heart began beat so hard it could have jumped from within his chest and bounced from wall to wall. 

“I bet those cretins ate all of the baklava,” he said gently. 

“I didn’t know that so many people knew I baked,” Persephone uttered, almost as if she were a dove. “Did you get enough?”

Hades turned to the kitchenette to see Hermes still putting food away as if he were a garbage disposal. 

“You know, I didn’t, but I’m still pleased I got to have the first bite…” 

Glancing back at her, she had floated down to the floor again and was standing close to him, with her hand still on his shoulder.  
“Would you like something to drink?” he asked.

“Maybe some water? I am a little thirsty,” Persephone expressed.

“So am I…” 

His eyes were a burning crimson as he looked at Persephone dotingly. The sparkle in her eyes seemed to twinkle a bit brighter as she smiled. She immediately blushed at the implied double entendre.

Handing her a bottle of water, Hades made his way to an empty love seat.

“Don’t let me keep you from your fun,” he urged. “Please, enjoy the party.”

Persephone sat next to him in the empty space on the loveseat.

“You said you never come to these things anyways,” she trilled. “I’m enjoying myself just fine.”

She then rested her head against his shoulder and watched the other party goers mingling. Hades felt that familiar drum march from within his chest. His eyes widened at this sudden display of affection.

As if it were on cue, Eros looked over from the board game table. He smirked and tapped Poseidon’s arm to get his attention.

Hades pleaded with his eyes, praying that his message would make it to the God of Love.

Eros simply rested his chin on his wrist and moved his checker to another empty space.

Hades then mouthed the words, “_What do I do?! She’s on my shoulder!!”_

Eros makes eye contact. He then scoots to Poseidon’s side of the table, stretches, and puts his arm around Poseidon. Bewildered, Poseidon gawked at Eros at first, but then simply nuzzled in the crook of his shoulder nonchalantly.

Hades shook his head _no_.

Eros nodded his head yes. Hermes and Poseidon, now adept to the silent messaging across the room, give thumbs up as indication that Hades should go through with it. 

Hades shakes his head once again. _“I can’t do it!”_ he mouthed.

Poseidon, from his warm place in Eros’ arms, then glares at his brother with furiously blood red eyes.

Hades scoffed and rolled his own eyes at his sibling’s dismissal of his plight. Inhaling deeply, he awkwardly tried to yawn, even though nothing came out. With an exaggerated stretch of his arms in the air, he let his right one come down to rest around Persephone’s shoulder. Instantaneously, she nuzzled into his shoulder more.

The boys all cheered silently for the pair, as Hades stroked her shoulder affectionately.

* * *

Who knew that the Thesmophoria would be such a phenomenal event? Full of light, laughter, and love. It was almost a shame that Hades never really stayed to attend, however this time was much different. Nestled in their corner of the room, Persephone and Hades had gotten to know one another quite well, as she was snuggled in his arms for hours. They talked of life goals, their pasts, childhood fears, dreams, and more. She laughed at his jokes, no matter how tragic they were, and he was so excited to hear more of her life in the mortal realm. It warmed Persephone’s heart to know that he genuinely cared, and the pangs of emotion that pulled at Hades’ heart became chains as strong as those binding the shades in Tartarus, yanking at his heart while he cuddled with the small Goddess. Regrettably, the evening was coming to an end, and Persephone was due to return to Olympus for the weekend.

“I have had such a wonderful time,” she exclaimed, her voice oozing with happiness and a bit of allure.

“As have I,” Hades chimed, his cheeks almost sore from smiling so much in her presence. It felt good to smile; he never had a consistent reason to do so, until this pink Goddess came about.

“I … … I do… need to go home.” She sighed, reluctantly, not truly wanting to leave.

“You could stay,” Hades implored, a shred of desperation in his throat.

“Oh, but Hades, it’s almost one o’clock. The last subway leaves soon.”

Hades then checked the watch on his wrist to confirm what Persephone stated was indeed true. It was beyond late. The pair had been so enamored with one another that they never realized that they were the last two at the party, aside from the building staff helping to clean.

“Do you have enough time to make it?”

She checked her phone and tucked it in a pocket.   
“If I leave now, I can get to the subway station before it shuts down for the evening.”

“Could I offer you a ride?” Hades suggested. 

“I will save your gracious offer for another day,” she affirmed. “It’s not terribly far. Besides, look! It’s snowing!”

Persephone jumped up to peek out of a nearby window. Surely enough, small snowflakes descended from the cloudy gray skies as they had already covered much of the ground in a thin coating of white powder. There was one particular portion of the clouds that had a small gap, allowing for the full moon to peek through the small spaces in between the gentle hints of frozen beauty.

“The very least that you can do is let allow me to walk with you to the subway,” Hades contested. “Bare minimum, to know that you are safe.”

“Then come on slow poke! Let’s get going!” Persephone squealed excitedly as she jumped from the loveseat, practically dragging Hades out of the door. 

_Did you know, that when it snows…_

_My eyes become large, and the light_

_That you shine can be seen…_

Placing his hands in his pockets of his pea coat, his heart was practically slamming against his ribcage. Persephone’s mere presence seemed to elicit a soft, hazy pale red glow as she walked quietly, with the snowflakes cascading around her. She looked all around at the wintry sight before her, delighting in the wonder of the arctic beauty that blanketed the underworld. Frolicking, she skipped a few steps ahead of Hades and spun in circles, with blue hydrangea petals and pink rose petals falling from the crown in her hair, leaving a trail of pink and blue hints of happiness. He stopped to revel in her moment of excitement, as she stopped spinning long enough to catch his eyes.

“Thank you for walking with me, Hades,” she bubbled with glee.

“No thanks necessary, Sweetness,” he chuckled. “How much further do we have to go?”  
“Just a block or so.” 

Persephone paused and extended her hand, reaching for Hades. Autonomously, he took her dainty fingers and closed his large cerulean palm around hers.

The snowflakes were falling slower. The air grew a little colder. Perhaps time was beginning to stand still for the two of them. 

She gazed up at the tall, demure, attractive God and found her own heart palpitating in the moment, as the moon cast its light on him, highlighting his handsome features.

“You really are charming,” Persephone breathed.

“I…. _Gods_…. Thank you,” he stuttered. “No one has **ever** called me charming before.”

“I can’t imagine why not.”

“Everyone thinks that I’m some menacing, evil tyrant that rules with a fist made from the fires of Tartarus… but I’m a normal deity like everyone else.”

Persephone giggled.

“I just… _happen_ to be King of the underworld and God of the Dead,” Hades lamented.

“I like that you’re normal like me.”

“Thank you. I _like_… 

His heart skipped a beat as he squeezed her hand tightly. He paused his stride to allow a moment to tell her the truth. Turning towards her face to face, he took her other hand in his own as his now ruby hued eyes were fixated on hers.

“…. you, Persephone. I like… **you**. Abundantly so.”

“I… like you too, Hades,” she purred.

A solitary snowflake landed on Hades nose, and lingered briefly before melting into his ocean blue complexion, that just may have been flush with blushing cheeks of his own. Be it not for the cold, his hands would be sweaty, being this close to Persephone again. He was nervous. The subway station was just a few yards away. 

  
“I never really noticed how pretty the snow actually is,” he uttered.

“Isn’t it remarkable?” Persephone boasted.

Hades held his breath for a moment, contemplating as his gaze turned to the skies, reveling in the moonlight that shone down on them. Admiring Persephone once again, emboldened by the ache in his chest, he pulled her flush to his body.

“It’s true; this is a remarkable sight to see,” he whispered… “…But not nearly as beautiful as the sight before me.”

He cupped her cheek with one hand and leaned in with low eyes, to press his lips upon her own. They were soft, like rose petals. Sweet, like honey. Wet, as her bottom lip and tongue began to dart across his. She was invoking. Infatuating. Breathtaking. Exhilarating. The electricity that coursed through his body raced faster that one of Zeus’ lightning bolts. The realm was spinning as he took a second hand to pull her body closer to his own, never breaking their caress of one another’s lips. His hand that rested gently on her cheek had moved to the back of her neck, needing to press harder upon her mouth. Hades inhaled her sweetness. She was absolutely, sweetness personified. Persephone reached up to wrap her hand around the back of his neck as well, tugging at the collar of his coat to bring him closer to her. His lips were perfect; molded to take her own within his as they danced back and forth across her mouth. Their tongues swirling, tangled in a hybrid of breathing heavy, pecks and puckers; losing themselves in that delightful moment while the snow landed in their hair like frosted stars from the night’s sky.

_I compare you to a kiss, from a rose, on the grey…_

© daalex 2019

**Author's Note:**

> the original notes lost their formatting, so this is typed after posting. 
> 
> please be gentle with this, as fluff is **not** my forte in any way, shape or form. we all know why i'm really here. 
> 
> a great first kiss fanfic could be found at Trychtopus, "Forty Percent." while creating this, i was reminded of a few elements of their work. thank you for being inadvertent and awesome reference.  
a gift to Twinkle for the LO Discord Fanfic exchange. Your prompts were challenging and I hope that it is to your liking.  
Dedicated to the legendary Spooks; it's late, but here's some feel good fluff for you my dear. Thank you for always being support.  
some inspo taken from Swoonie and a minor note of hers in Titans Reborn. the luminescent roses are a nod to your luminescent mushrooms. 
> 
> and a thanks to **you** for reading. as mentioned, this is not my forte. this was difficult. but you can't grow if you don't challenge yourself, and i have to say that i had a good time none the less. your kudos, hits and comments are cherished, forevermore.


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